How To Shop For A Tablet Without Feeling Grinchy!

Want to know the best way to shop for a tablet during the holidays? Here are some tips! I checked out the Dell Venue Pro 8 this week as part of a sponsored post for Collective Bias® #IntelTablets #cbiasThe holiday season is upon us. Which means it’s incredibly easy to get your Grinch on. No, I don’t mean going around town taking the last can of Hoo Hash. I mean that point where your blood boils and you start to hate gift giving while you’re waiting for the really un-helpful “salesperson” to help you pick out your techie gifts. You know, the one who keeps answering the phone instead of helping you? Can you tell I’ve experienced this lately? Yes, I’ve gone Grinch, but I’ve got a few tips to help you avoid turning green this holiday season.

Do Your Own Research

I think it’s safe to say that tablets are the top of most people’s holiday lists this year. Heck, even my 4 year old wants her own. But while there are just a few that come to mind immediately are you sure they will fit the needs of your gift recipient? I’ll tell you this much, I’ll choose to do my own research and comparisons rather than rely on the college student manning the electronics section any day.

Figure Out What It Will Be Used For

This year I was looking for a tablet that could do more for Craig. We’re traveling frequently these days and quite frankly it’s hard to find something portable that can serve the needs of an institutional trader. At home he has multiple screens filled with stock charts that make me woozy just glancing at them.

On the go he’d need something that has the speed and power to pull up those charts just like he was on his PC. Most of the systems he uses are not even supported by Mac, so anything of that realm was out of the question. Which lead me to Dell a brand he trusts, where I did some comparisons and well, educated myself a bit. And yes, my coffee cup has a tutu, just in case you were wondering!

Do Not Fall Victim To Cheap-O Tablets

There is nothing more annoying than a slow computer. Or is there? How about a slow not-so-smart phone or a slow tablet? During my less than stellar customer service experience I mentioned above I watched a woman ask questions of a sales person in a big box store about a tablet that retailed for $59. I wanted to cry watching this. I am all for finding yourself a deal but eeeekk. Yes, she could download apps from Google Play, but let’s talk about how quickly those apps are going to run walk.

That’s right. You can’t use programs or apps that need speedon a tablet that um…doesn’t have it? It’s like buying bargain detergent that you use 3 times as much of only you CAN’T add anything to fix that problem on a tablet. Which is precisely how I found myself with the Dell Venue Pro 8. It seemed like a good balance of performance with Intel Inside, price – coming in cheaper than any device with an “i” in front of it, and most importantly with Windows 8 Craig could download any program he might use on his regular desktop computer but take it to-go.

And of course, I wanted something that I could steal borrow for those weekends away where I vow not to bring my laptop but want to be able to at least check on my blog, post an image to Facebook, etc.

Take Your Time Choosing Accessories

Last but not least, I think it’s wise to really investigate your options for accessories and hold off for a week or two before purchasing a bunch. You don’t really know what you or your gift recipient will realize they need and it seems silly to have a bunch of stuff you won’t use. One thing I know we’ll want is the Dell Tablet Wireless Keyboard which pretty much turns the Venue Pro 8 into a fully functioning laptop. Which means that I can blog till my heart is content…I mean that Craig can really easily do what he needs to do.

If you think the Dell Venue Pro 8 might be for you, then you can check out all of the technical details to find yourself a lightning fast tablet with Intel technology on Dell.com